June 21 (UPI) -- The United States is blacklisting two Islamic State terrorists and two South Sudanese officials as it cracks down on those it accuses of having committed sexual violence amid conflict.
The State Department announced the designations Tuesday.
The IS leaders were accused of being responsible for the abduction and sexual enslavement of Yezidi women and girls, while the two South Sudanese officials, one a major general in the African nation's People's Defense Forces and the other a governor, were accused of conflict-related sexual violence.
The IS leaders were identified as Arkan Ahmad 'Abbas al-Matuti, a senior field military commander in Wilaya al-jazirah, Iraq; and Nawaf Ahmad Alwan al-Rashidi, who manages IS payments to members and their widows as well as covers the terrorist organization's smuggling operations.
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The State Department accused al-Matuti of having sold Yezidi women and girls as well as having taken several as sexual slaves for himself, and al-Rashidi is accused of being "responsible for the sexual slavery and rape of Yezidi women and girls in Sinjar, Iraq."
Concerning the South Sudanese officials, both the Treasury and State Departments took action Tuesday against them.
The officials were identified as Major Gen. James Nando and Western Equatoria Gov. Alfred Futuyo.
Nando is accused of being involved in an array of abuses. The Treasury said forces loyal to him were responsible for at least 64 instances of rape and sexual slavery of citizens during the summer of 2021.
Between April and August of 2018, he either directly or through those under his command oversaw the abduction of 505 women and 63 girls, the U.S. federal agency said.
Futuyo, who is affiliated with the opposition Sudan People's Liberation Movement, is accused of having forces under his command carry out numerous attacks in Western Equatoria, resulting in the abduction of 887 people, including 43 were raped or gang raped, according to the Treasury.
"The United States rejects all forms of sexual violence -- which women and children bear the brunt of -- in armed conflict," Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said in a statement.
"We remain committed to holding perpetrators and enablers of conflict-related sexual violence accountable so long as this scourge exists."
